Lost and Found
by dart53
Summary: Casino has a good reason for being late.


**Lost and Found**

Casino squared his shoulders before he set his hand to the door's latch. He knew what was probably was waiting for him on the other side of that door….and he was right. Throwing his hands up in surrender he started talking before anyone else got a chance to lay into him.

"Now, I got a real good reason for bein' late…"

"Don't you always?" Actor observed.

Goniff made a derisive noise in the back of his throat.

Chief just waited, like the Warden.

Garrison was in the front of the pack… just standing there with his arms crossed and his toe tapping the tiles.

Casino shot a look around at the men scowling back at him. He'd probably blown it for all of them. "It was like this, see…"

"Save it, Casino." Garrison cut off the excuses and thought for a moment as four sets of anxious eyes studied him.

He'd promised the men a couple of days in London, if they stayed out of trouble, and the others had been on their best behavior for the last week, so he couldn't really deny them their trip. He had to go, regardless, he had a meeting he had to attend. Previous experience with his team of cons taught him that it wasn't a good idea to leave any one of them at the mansion on his own, even though the Sergeant Major and a whole complement of guards would still be there. The men looked at the security measures in place around the mansion as a challenge to their skills. It wasn't very likely, but if all of them were there, one of the men might, uncharacteristically, become the voice of reason and talk the others out of any tomfoolery they might cook up. One on his own, especially Casino, and there wasn't any point in wasting time and effort on doubt…there'd be trouble.

Garrison turned and glared at the safe cracker a moment before he made his decision. "Get upstairs and get your gear. If we hustle it we can just make it there in time." As Craig watched, Casino shot up the stairs to gather his things together as fast as he could, while the other three men snatched up their bags and scrambled for the car before he could change his mind. His delinquent con made it back downstairs in record time. '_Too bad they don't move that fast when there's a mission on,'_ he thought as he followed him out to the car.

Chief was in the driver's seat, as always, Casino loaded into the back with Goniff and Actor, leaving the shotgun spot for him. As soon as the doors were closed and the car started moving Garrison turned on the man in the back. "Alright, spill it. And it better be good Casino because we've got to roll right by the main stockade to get to my meeting."

"Jeeze! I was tryin' to tell ya, wasn't I? Like I said, it was like this…."

c

Casino liked kids. He'd never admit it, he'd grouch and complain about having to deal with them to anyone who'd listen, but he liked kids. And, for some reason, kids liked him. Kids absolutely had no problem with him, not like some adults…especially the ones that knew he'd been in prison. But kids…? They could care less about that sort of stuff. In fact he could give them one of the meanest, toughest looks he could muster and it never even crossed their minds that he might be dangerous or anything. They'd see right through him and just laugh and start climbing up one of his legs!

So he was making his way back to the mansion from Mrs. Reid's place. She was the lady that took in kids that made it out of Europe and found homes for them…It was a nice day for a change, and it wasn't really all that far from her place to the house, so instead of calling for someone to come after him in one of the jeeps he'd just hit the road on foot. Actually he figured he might get a chance to stop at the pub on the way back for a quick beer, or at least what passed for beer here in England. Mrs. Reid was a nice lady, and all, but the only thing you got at her place was coffee, tea, milk or juice. She didn't put up with any kind of drinking, especially around the kids.

Casino had been over there helping her out with a birthday party for most of the day.

The party had gone off pretty good too, until one little kid got so excited when he saw him all done up in his clown get up that he'd got sick all over himself…and the clown rig. Well, when one kid in a crowd gets sick it's sort of like knocking one domino in the row over… pretty soon they were all pukin' and cryin' and snotting up.

It took some time to get things under control again….

Yeah, he stayed and helped! …. You don't walk out on a lady with a house full of that kind of trouble. Do you?

Anyway, they still wrapped up better than an hour and a half early, on account a that kid getting sick. That even included him letting Mrs. Reid have a quick cry on his shoulder after all the kids were cleaned up, dried off and put down for naps.

Well, he was within sight of the Doves when he heard this sort of whiny, sniffy kind a sound coming from almost right behind him. He could practically taste the beer…. He could smell that nice comfortable smoky, musty smell that only old places get…. He could hear the regulars calling out their friendly greetings and the soft thunk of darts as they hit the board that hung on the wall,... at least in his head…. He could also hear that whining, and that sniffing, _and_ that sup-hupping sound little kids make when they're really upset, and mean it, and they're all tired out from crying.

He tried, he tried hard, but Casino couldn't quite stop himself from hearing that so, even though he was close enough that he could almost get his hand on the brass knob of the door to the pub, he gave up and turned around to look. Well, standing there, already putting a hand up to tug at the back of his pants leg was the most bedraggled little kid he'd seen in a long time. And considering what he'd just left back at Mrs. Reid's, that was saying something.

After surveying the street and finding it completely empty, except for the kid, Casino shot a quick look skyward and rolled his eyes before he dropped to one knee. Reaching into his back pocket he drew out his handkerchief. He'd only managed to keep it clean and dry over at the party because there were so many napkins handy, but it looked like the thing's time had just run out.

Laying the cloth over the worst of the slime he ordered 'Blow!' and was rewarded by a pretty good effort. Pinching the now soiled pad of cotton between his thumb and forefinger he pulled it straight away from the kid's face so he wouldn't just smear things around. Turning the thing in on itself so he had a clean surface again he made a swipe at the tears next, and got them pretty much mopped up, along with the sweat that was sticking what should have been golden blond hair down on the forehead and too pink cheeks of the little girl he was hunkered down next to.

"What's up, kid?" He asked, but that only got him a flow of fresh saltwater as she stood there next to him, scrunched up her face and started to cry. He gave up and sat on the sidewalk, giving her arm a gentle tug until she dropped into his lap. They sat there for a moment while he patted her back and helped her calm down a bit.

"I bet I know," he declared. "I bet your Mom run off and got lost, didn't she?" His answer was a negative shake of the head that was currently resting on his shoulder. "Hmmm…. It was your Dad that ran off?" Another little shake of the head. He leaned back, lifted her chin with a crooked finger and turned her face up so she was meeting his eye. "Well I know _you'd_ never run off and get lost, now would you?" She gravely shook her head again. "So, what happened?"

"The hou-, house moved." She told him in a tiny little voice that had a hitch in it from all the crying.

"It did?"

Her eyes grew wide and she nodded. "I just went to th-, the end of the row, and when I turned round it, … it was go-, gone!"

"And you been lookin' for it ever since?" Of course that was answered by another solemn nod of the little head. It must have been some search, he thought, because she looked pretty much done in. Casino made another quick survey of the street…it was still empty but for the two of them sitting there on the curb. "What's this lost house look like, anyway?"

"It's all made of brick and it's g-, got a big tree in the yard and a rose that grows by the window and a yellow door and a little fairy statue in the flower bed and…"

Her voice got stronger and her words came faster as she talked until they all sort of ran together. Casino gave a laugh and held up a hand. "Jeeze! Slow down, will ya?" He gathered her into his arms as he pushed up onto his feet. "You didn't cross any streets or anything did you?"

It took a moment for her to answer. "My Grammie says not to cross any street unless there's someone there to hold your hand."

"And I'll bet you listened to her real good too, right?" Well, that would make it easier to find where she belonged, he thought. There couldn't be too many houses, all made of brick, with a big tree and roses in the yard, that had a yellow door _and_ a fairy on this side of the village. After one more look around for someone else who might take her off his hands he gave up on the beer and started off down the street to commence the search.

The Doves sat on the road that led out to the estate and there were a few businesses that sat on either side the pub, but Casino knew that there was a nice cluster of houses that backed onto the bar on the back side of the block and that's where he headed. Once he got there he found a regular rabbit warren of homes, but he still wasn't too concerned. After all… just how many, tree, rose, yellow door, fairy places could their be?

As it turned out….. Not even one.

By the time Casino decided to give up this particular search and start in another sector the little girl had gotten quite comfortable and was chatting away seemingly without a worry in the world. She was perched on a hip, cradled by a strong arm and headed, so she thought, right back where she belonged. While they walked she made observations like only a five year old can, skipping from fact to fantasy without a hitch. He had to time it just right to wedge his question in when she took a breath.

"So what's your name, anyway?'

The answer came quickly. "Mary Lee Jane Symonds"

"Well, Merrily…

"Not merrily… Mary _Lee_." she corrected him before dissolving in a fit of giggles.

Casino compromised. "Alright, Merrilee, we didn't have much luck finding that lost house of yours back here. Are you sure you didn't cross a street?"

The little girls eyes started to water up again and she dropped her head down onto his shoulder, turning so she was watching where they'd been, not where they were going. "I didn't mean to," finally came out in a quavering voice.

The little neighborhood they'd just wandered around was the only one on this side of the road. Casino tightened his grip on her a little as he thought of the military traffic that made use of the road that ran in front of the pub. It didn't move all that fast, but the drivers couldn't see very well out of some of those rigs…and if a little kid like this got out in front of one of those big trucks…

"You didn't mean to?" he prompted gently.

She turned her head back and snuggled down onto his shoulder. "I was looking for the house and the street came up and I didn't see it until I was on the other side and my Grammie says…."

"….says you'r not s'pose to cross the street unless there's someone holdin' your hand."

The child straightened up again and turned a bright smile on her new found friend. "That's what I came and got you for."

Casino tried not to groan, "But when I asked you if you crossed a street you said 'no'."

"No I didn't" she corrected him. "_I_ said, Grammie said I shouldn't."

Well, he really couldn't argue with that, could he? "I think we better stop and see if we can use a phone to call your 'grammie'. What's her name?"

"Grammie." the child said.

Jeeze! "Grammie, what?" He asked after a brief pause to control his voice.

"Grammie Symonds." the little girl said in a voice that indicated he should have been able to figure that one out for himself.

"OK, we'll stop and see if one of the shopkeepers' knows where your Grammie Symonds lives."

"But _I_ know where she lives."

"Sure you do, you told me already… that place with the yellow door and the…."

The little girl shook her head and set curls that formed when the sweat dried dancing. "She doesn't live there! We're just visiting."

"Swell." Casino took a deep breath. "Who are you visiting?"

"My Grammie's friend."

"I don't s'pose you know what your grammie's friend's name is?" he asked, but he really didn't hold out much hope.

She screwed up her face and studied the sky for a while and then turned her attention to her fingers before she answered. "I forgot."

He decided to stop and really concentrate on this for a minute so he found a yard with a stone fence and he plopped the little girl down in a patch of shade and settled in next to her. "OK. Let's start over. Merrilee, can you tell me where you live?"

In a very matter-of-fact tone she told him "I live at my house."

_Of course you do_, he thought. "Do you know where that is?"

"At the end of the road."

"Does the road have a name?"

"Romsley Road."

He didn't really like playing twenty questions but sometimes that was the only way, especially with little kids. "Does a town go with that road?"

The child nodded her head with enthusiasm. "But it's not a town, it's a village."

"Alright…. What's the name of the village?"

"Romsley."

Casino grinned and pushed back onto his feet. "Now we're finally gettin' somewhere ." He gathered her up and set her on his hip again and started back towards the pub but within a few steps he'd developed some doubts. "Uh… Merrilee, who all lives in your house?"

"My Mommy and Daddy and me."

And he finally let himself hope that there might be a light at the end of the tunnel, and if he got to that light fast enough, maybe a beer. "So you and your mom and dad live in a house on Romsley Road in Romsley, but you and your grammie are down here visiting one of grammie's friends….Is that about right?"

She was delighted too. "Yes, that's right!"

"You know what that means?" he asked her.

"What?" she asked, with breathless curiosity.

"That means all we got a do is find a phone and ask the operator to call your house.

I'll bet your mom and dad know who your grammie's visiting down here."

"They do!" She agreed with a clap of her hands.

And then he thought of something else…. "Say, Merilee, you _do_ you have a telephone at your house?"

"Yes!"

About that time they'd made it back to where they started the whole thing,.. the door of the pub. With any luck he could put in that call, grammie would come running and after the reunion he could finally have that beer and be on his way…. But there was one thing that could make all of that go a little faster. "Uh… Merrilee? Do you know the telephone number at your house?"

"Oh yes!" And just as he started to open the door she dropped it on him. "But nobody's home…."

_Jeeze!, _he thought, _of course no one's home, that would be too simple!_ "Are mom and dad down here visiting grammie's friend too?"

"No… Mommy said when Daddy came back from the war he forgot to bring one of his legs back with him so he went to a special place where he can get another one. She went so she could help him pick out just the right one." she cheerfully explained. "I wanted to go too, but she said Grammie would be too lonesome if we all went, so I stayed behind so she wouldn't get lonely."

He took a deep breath… there were going to be a lot of lost legs and arms before this war was over, but at least she was lucky enough that her daddy made it home. But his quick solution just went up in smoke. Even if they could get a call through to the place there wasn't going to be anyone there to give him the answers he needed. Looked like he'd just have to figure some other way to get her back where she belonged.

Casino shoved the door to the pub open and walked about half-way down the stairs so they'd be in full view of the barman and the customers gathered in the little pub. He swung the little girl off his hip, holding her high over his head and turning her this way and that, causing her to giggle.

"Hey! Anybody been around askin' after a kid that looks just like this?"

Nobody'd been in, and when asked nobody recognized the little girl…but one old grandfatherly guy back in the corner offered a pound for her… Even though the offer was tempting, Casino decided not to take him up on it. He'd had just a little bit too much to drink, in his opinion, to be dependable. Looked like he wasn't going to get much help here. But just in case after he'd settled the kid down on his hip again he leaned over the stair rail and addressed the barman.

"You don't know of any family named 'Symonds' livin' around here, do you?"

"Afraid not." the man answered back.

"Any chance you know of a place that has a big tree in the yard, a rose, and a yellow door?"

"Don't forget about the fairy…." she whispered in his ear.

"…and a fairy?"

The barman laughed, but he had to say he'd never seen a place like that. Then up piped the drunk guy in the corner again. He said he thought it sounded like a place about half way along on Cooper's Wynd… or was is Cobbler's Wynd… he really wasn't sure which, but he remembered seeing a house just like that somewhere… but it might have had a red door instead of a yellow one…or maybe it was blue...

Now even if the guy was a little drunk and a little confused about door colors and street names it was the only lead he had. Casino asked where the place might be and when he was told the direction he found he'd be headed right back towards Mrs. Reid's, regardless of the street name, because both of them were over there. Even if he couldn't find it he figured Mrs. Reid, whose memory was probably better, on account a not drinkin' and all, might know if there was a house like that around…. And maybe she'd even take the kid off his hands for him because it was getting late and he was supposed to be back at the mansion so all of them could take off for London.

So they headed off for the neighborhoods that lay across the street, that the little girl didn't really mean to cross (but did!), and started looking over there. Casino had never heard of 'Cooper's _or_ Cobbler's Wynd' before and the guys in the pub gave him the kind of directions that just get you more confused so he was checking all the streets as they wandered along.

"OK Merrilee, I got a job for you."

"What is it?" She was eager to help in anyway she could.

"Well if you remember seein' anything, you let me know, OK?"

"OK!" She rolled the American slang off her tongue and smiled at him before turning back to scrutinize their surroundings.

It didn't take long before she was jigging up and down in his arms and pointing. "There! There! I saw that before!"

Turning away from the main street they headed into another knot of homes and pulled up in front of a place that had a garden so full of brightly colored flowers that it stood out like a beacon. Before Casino could comment on it or ask any questions she pointed again, and they were off. Further down the street there was another lush garden, and then another just around the corner from it, and another at the end of that street and another …. He was beginning to get a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach again.

"Say, Merrilee?" he asked carefully. "Did you see all these places on the way to where you met up with me today?"

"No. I've never seen any of them before." She told him happily. "But aren't they pretty?"

He had to take a deep breath and do a little counting before he could speak again. "But you said you'd seen this stuff before."

She reached out and petted the bright blossom that was clinging and twining itself up over the arched gate of the house they were currently standing in front of. "Oh, I have! We have these at my house, I helped plant the seeds and I have to water them, and…." The little girl shifted from happy memories of the past to worried concern over the present, "Who's watering them now I'm not there?" and then dove right into total distress over the future. "They aren't going to die 'cause I'm not there, are they?"

And for the time it took for Casino to retrace their steps and find the main road again he reassured her that with all the rain they had in England her flowers would probably live until she got back from her visit with 'grammie's friend', whoever she turned out to be….That they'd probably be even bigger and better than the ones around here. And he used a little bit of that time to remind himself just why he really did, actually, like little kids.

The houses in the part of town they in were kind of organized around little market squares, central hubs where there was a grocer and a barber and maybe a pub or a shop where you could sit down and drink tea. They'd just come up on one of those little hubs when they spotted someone bearing down on them. The little girl slipped her arms around his neck and went from riding happily along on his hip to clinging to his side.

"There you are you little scamp." The short gray-haired woman scowled up at them. "You just come along with me."

"Is that your Grammie Symonds?" From the way the little girl was buried against his neck he really hoped not.

She shook her head, 'no'.

"Why you've got the whole house in a dither. That cottage has been turned inside out looking for you."

"Is she the one you came down to visit?"

Another little negative shake of the head and a whispered. "She's Mrs. Beadle." and in a small tremulous voice she added. "She let her dog bite me."

"You just come along with me you little imp. I'll tell you, if you were one of mine you'd not get away with half of what you do…"

The woman made a grab for the little girl's arm but Casino quickly turned away and presented his shoulder to her instead. He placed a protective hand on the back of Merrilee's head and didn't miss the trembling as the child clung a little tighter to him.

Mrs. Beadle was obviously used to being obeyed because the fact that she was meeting resistance gave her quite a shock. Her eyes bulged a little and her mouth dropped open and Casino thought she looked a lot like the garden toads he sometimes found around the roses up at the mansion.

"What do you think you're about? You've no right to that child and if you don't give her to me straight away I'll call the constable!" She huffed up at him.

He didn't like her. He didn't like the way she talked to the kid, he didn't like the way she looked at the kid, he didn't like the way she grabbed for her… and he sure didn't like the way the little girl buried her head on his shoulder and pleaded _'Don't make me, don't make me_." in his ear. So even though the last thing he wanted to see was a cop, he decided to call her bluff.

"Go ahead and call one. I think I'd like to hear what he's got to say about you turning your dog on a little kid like this."

The woman narrowed her eyes and turned red. "So you're still telling that little lie, are you?" And she made another grab for the little girl. "You just let me catch you alone you little…."

By this time the disturbance on the street had drawn a few of the housewives from their regular cooking and cleaning duties and a few of them were discretely edging their way closer until one of the braver ones spoke up.

"Is there some sort of problem here?"

Mrs. Beadle planted herself on her two stubby legs, pointed a finger directly at him and declared. "This man's trying to carry off this child! I want a constable here straight away!"

Casino actually laughed at that accusation. He held his hands out away from his body as he turned in a complete circle in front of the small crowd of ladies that had gathered on the street. The little girl's arms were firmly entwined around his neck, her legs encircled his waist and her head remained buried on his shoulder. Without the support or restriction of his arms around her she never budged.

When he completed his circuit he turned to the woman who'd posed the question. "Ma'am, I don't suppose you know who might live in a house that has a big tree and a rose growing up by a yellow door… and a statue of a fairy in the yard?"

And, of course that housewife didn't,… but the one next to her spoke up. "That sounds like Mrs. Devey." She turned to the other ladies and they agreed, after a little discussion.

"D' you think one of you could give her a call and see if there's a Mrs. Symonds staying with her… That's the kids grandmother."

"This is ridiculous!" Mrs. Beadle declared loudly. "I've come out to help look for this little trouble maker and I will take her back where she belongs."

Making another attempt at getting her hands on the child she was again blocked by the solid back Casino showed her. Her red face darkened to a shade of purple and he thought he could actually see steam escaping from her ears.

"I've had all I'm going to take from you." Mrs. Beadle turned her back on him and settled her eye on the ladies gathered around them. "Can't you see this Yank's trying to kidnap this child? I want a constable, and I want one right now!"

About that time the lady who'd come up with the name Devey came down the steps of her cottage. She'd been part of the original crowd that formed when Mrs. Beadle started her demands but had disappeared when Casino requested someone call this Devey dame. She had a boy about twice the age of Merrilee with her.

"I've called the constable _and_ Mrs. Devey." She told them before turning to the kid with her. "Rollie, you run down and tell them not to worry. Tell them that we've got the little girl right here with us and she's safe."

As soon as she knew a constable was really on the way Mrs. Beadle tried to take her leave. "Since you've got this under control I'll just leave you to it." She told them and tried to turn away for home.

She didn't get more that a half step before a heavy hand landed on her shoulder. "You know I think we should all just stand here and wait until that cop shows up." Casino said.

"I've already wasted enough of my time on this little imp and I've better things to do than stand about…" Mrs. Beadle protested.

"Oh I don't think you'll have to wait long." Casino tossed his head in the direction down the street. "Here he comes now."

"All right!" He had to make 'shushing' motions with his hands to the women who were all chattering around him. "What seems to be the trouble here Mrs. Smythe?" The local man turned to the lady that had called him out for his answers.

"We came out when these two started arguing over this little girl." Rollie's mother told him, and she was backed up by the others. "This gentleman asked about a house that sounded like Mrs. Devey's place over on the Wynd, and then ask if someone would call down to her and see if there was a family visiting who'd lost a little girl. Mrs. Beadle," and the look she turned on the woman made it clear she didn't have much use for her, "claimed he was trying to kidnap the child and demanded you be called."

The Bobby turned his full attention on him and Casino squared his shoulders and did his best to stand his ground.

"I've seen you down at the Doves, haven't I?"

About the only time he remembered seeing the cops at the pub was when they were being hauled out after a fight, something that happened on a more or less regular basis. "I, uh… I spend some time in there, yeah."

"And I suppose that's where you've spent your day today?" He recognized him alright. He'd pulled him out of the pub a time or two…but the barman and the locals never held a grudge and always welcomed he and the other three he ran with back again.

Casino gave a short bark of laughter. "Well that's where I was headed before I met Merrilee, here."

The constable smiled and laid a light hand on the little girl's shoulder. "And what've you to say for yourself little miss?"

But all the little girl did was tighten her grip on Casino's neck and bury her face a little deeper into his shoulder.

"Hey, kid! It's OK. He's a cop…" and without a hint of the cynicism he felt creeping into his voice he told her, "You can trust this guy."

During all of this Mrs. Beadle was edging her way to the outside of the little crowd of ladies that still ringed the two men and the little girl. This maneuver wasn't lost on Casino who let her think she was about to make her getaway before he pulled the rug out from under her. He leaned in a little closer to the cop and said. "I think you better ask that dame about why she turned her dog on this little kid here."

Reaching a hand out the constable cut off Mrs. Beadles hope of a clean get away by laying a firm hand on her shoulder. "Just one moment, madam, I believe I have a question or two for you."

Rounding on the constable Mrs. Beadle did her best to play the part of an incensed local citizen. "You'll not take the word of this Yank over one of your own, will you?"

"I'll not take anyone's word. What I will do is have some answers from all of you."

"But I've nothing to answer for! I haven't done anything!"

The constable remained calm but insistent. "Then you'll have no trouble in the end, but you will answer the allegations."

About that time there was a commotion down the street and they looked up to find two older ladies, escorted by Rollie, making their way towards them.

Casino tapped the little girl on the back and turned so she was facing the right direction to see them. "Merrilee? Merrilee, look down the street there. Who's that comin'?"

"Grammie!"

The woman bearing down on them was comfortably rounded with a head of shinning white hair. The blue eyes that were fixed on the little girl were red and puffy from the tears of worry she'd obviously shed while waiting for some word on her missing granddaughter.

"Mary Lee Jane Symonds! Do you know how frighten I've been?" As soon as she arrived she reached her hands up to take the child who willing went to her. "Where have you been all of this time? I've been that worried about you!"

"I didn't mean to cross the street, Grammie. Honest I didn't…"

"You crossed the street?" Mrs. Symonds asked, concern and disappointment in her voice. "Oh child! I've told you never to do that, haven't I?" Then she turned to Casino. "Where ever did you find her?"

"She was up by the Doves, ma'am.'

"All that way!" Mrs. Symonds petted the back of the blond head that had switched it's allegiance to her shoulder. "Just wait until I get you home…" but from the look on her face it was fairly obvious that when that time arrived the only punishment would probably be a plate of cookies, a glass of milk and maybe an early night, which the kid looked like she needed anyway.

"Thank you so much for bringing her back."

"That's OK, ma'am." Casino told her with a wink. "I don't think my boss'd let me keep her anyway."

Now that the little girl was back where she belonged the circle of ladies started smiling and congratulating him on a job well done. The constable was getting a little information from 'grammie' and her friend and had finally coaxed a smile out of the child who was still clinging to her grandmother. With all of the attention diverted from her for the moment Mrs. Beadle didn't choose to stick around. Casino was the first one to notice and gave the cop a nudge.

"You'll stop right there madam!" the Bobby called out to her. "I haven't forgotten the child's claim, even if you have."

"What's this all about?" Mrs. Symonds asked as she looked from Mrs. Beadle to the constable to Casino.

"Merrilee told me this dame," Casino jabbed a stiffened finger in the direction of Mrs. Beadle, "set her dog on her, ma'am."

With the whole crowd of ladies looking on and the constable waiting Mrs. Beadle flared up red for a moment and then turned a little pale. "I did no such thing! The child is making up stories… they all do…."

The constable turned back to the little girl and asked. "Miss, is this true? Or did you make up a story like Mrs. Beadle suggests? It's all right if you did, but I need to know."

Merrilee dropped one arm down from her grammie's neck, pulled her knitted sock down and stuck out her leg for the constable's inspection. The ankle was bruised and there were scratches on it.

That's all it took. The whole crowd, led by the constable, turned their attention on the Beadle dame and that's when Casino made his getaway.

c

"So, that's why I was late. I mean, really…. What could I do?" he asked the men gathered around him. The story had taken up the time it took for them to make the drive down to London and they were currently standing on the curb outside the hotel they'd be staying for the next two days.

"Casino, did you ever consider calling a constable yourself, right at the start?" The look on the con's face gave Garrison his answer. Of course, he never considered that. And a quick check of the others confirmed they wouldn't have considered it either. People that worked in law enforcement weren't generally looked on as allies by his men.

"I don't know, mate…" Goniff gave a deep sniff in his direction. "You smell a lot like beer t'me."

"Jeeze! After all a that, what'd you expect? A 'course I stopped in and had one! But then I hot footed it right back to the mansion." Casino turned from his scowling teammates to his commander. "C'mon, Warden, you believe me, don't you?"

Garrison considered Casino for a moment. If it was a dodge it was a fairly complex one. It would have been simpler and more believable for him to say things ran long at Mrs. Reid's and he'd just forgotten the time… He was about to tell him that when the safe cracker broke eye contact with him and turned his back to them.

Casino looked down, standing right behind him, a grubby hand clinging to the back of his pants leg, was a little kid, about six… a boy this time….

"Mister?…."


End file.
